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The riddling experts study the way the lees have fallen. They craft a subtle stirring choreography to guide the deposits gently towards the neck and obtain a clear wine. For weeks, each turn is carefully noted. The riddling machine then reproduces the gestures precisely.

Then comes the crucial step of expulsing the deposits gathered in the bottle neck. Disgorging was traditionally manual when staples were used to seal the cork. With the reintroduction of cork stoppers for Dom Ruinart 2010, this is once again the case. The process is carried out safely on a manual disgorging line. After rapidly cooling the neck, the bottles are taken one by one. The operator ensures that the deposit is trapped in the ice, removes the staple, and pops the cork. Each bottle is smelled to confirm the quality of the wine. A tiny amount of liqueur is then added for roundness. With just 4 grams of sugar per litre, Dom Ruinart is Extra Brut. Once the expedition cork has been introduced and topped with a capsule marking the vintage, the bottle is left to rest for another year. The bottle is then prepared for sale with the same precision, dressed by hand with a sober label outlined in gold.

In the vineyard and the cellars, each man and woman heightens the exceptional character of this champagne through their intimate and tangible contact.

MANUAL DISGORGING